What South Burlington heat pump buyers can get
We re-read Efficiency Vermont's heat pump pages and Green Mountain Power's heat pump page on October 5, 2026. South Burlington is not served by Burlington Electric, so BED's higher rebate tables do not apply to your address. Amounts are maximums.
Ductless heat pump
An instant discount from Efficiency Vermont: $375 for systems up to 2 tons and $475 over 2 tons, applied at purchase by your contractor.
Ducted heat pump
$1,200 up to 2 tons, $1,700 over 2 and under 4 tons, $2,200 at 4 tons or more, for qualifying cold-climate equipment.
Integrated controls
Cash back for controls that let a ductless heat pump run as the main heat and signal the old system only when needed.
Green Mountain Power income-eligible rebate
For households at or below 80% of area median income. A household of four in Chittenden County must be at or under $99,750. The rebate is combined with Efficiency Vermont's in one application on Efficiency Vermont's site.
Vermont Gas heat pump loan and lease
If Vermont Gas supplies your gas, its Clover Energy arm sells and leases heat pumps, and a credit union loan up to $20,000 carries 5.99% when the project includes a heat pump. Ducted systems from Clover are offered only to homes with a gas furnace.
Efficiency Vermont income bonus
$2,200 for Green Mountain Power low-income customers, $200 for most other utilities' customers. Rental property owners are not eligible. Income limits changed on July 1, 2026.
Ground source heat pump
Plus $500 for income-eligible households. New systems up to 10 tons, an Efficiency Excellence Network contractor, and not for wood-heating customers.
If you are low-income and on Green Mountain Power, Efficiency Vermont lists a $2,200 bonus and Green Mountain Power lists $2,000 per condenser. We cannot tell from either page whether both amounts apply to the same condenser, so ask Efficiency Vermont on your one combined application what the total will be before you sign a contract.
A city that mostly heats with gas
The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey counts 9,466 occupied homes in South Burlington. 5,971 (63%) heat mainly with piped natural gas, 2,263 (24%) with electricity, 544 (6%) with fuel oil, 264 with propane and 202 with wood. That is nothing like Rutland or Barre, where oil dominates.
For a gas home, a heat pump is usually a way to cut a bill that is already fairly low, and the saving depends on gas and electric prices that move. A hybrid setup, where a ducted heat pump handles most of the year and the gas furnace covers the coldest hours, is one compromise. Vermont Gas says its Clover Energy offers ducted systems only to homes with a gas furnace for exactly that reason. If you are one of the 3,071 households on electric resistance, oil or propane, the saving case is much stronger.
Newer homes, fewer old-house problems
Only 3% of South Burlington housing units were built in 1939 or earlier, while 37% (3,568) were built in 2000 or later. Newer houses tend to be tighter, which makes sizing easier. It does not remove the need for a blower-door test if your home was built in the 1960s or 1970s (1,994 units were), and Efficiency Vermont's weatherization offer is built around exactly that test. See our South Burlington insulation guide.
Condos and townhouses are common here
38% of South Burlington households rent, 26% of units sit in buildings with ten or more units, and 17% are attached townhouse-style homes. A ductless unit on a townhouse wall usually needs approval from your condo or homeowners association for the outdoor unit location, which is a rule we have not verified for any South Burlington association, so ask yours before you order. Rental owners can use Efficiency Vermont's rebates but not its income bonus.
Cold-climate rating matters even in the warmer corner
South Burlington averages a January low of -9.3°C, and the coldest day between 2015 and 2024 reached -29.8°C. That is mild by Vermont standards but still well below where a standard heat pump struggles. Efficiency Vermont's rebates are for qualifying cold-climate equipment, and the Green Mountain Power income rebate is tied to the same Efficiency Vermont application.
Which county limit applies
South Burlington is in Chittenden County, where Green Mountain Power's 2026 limit for a four-person household is $99,750. That is 80% of area median income. Smaller households have lower limits that Green Mountain Power publishes by county and size on its heat pump page.
Top-rated installers in South Burlington
These contractors serve the South Burlington area and have the most Google reviews. Confirm each is in Efficiency Vermont's Efficiency Excellence Network before you accept a quote, because the rebates require it.
See all South Burlington installers →
How to claim a heat pump rebate in South Burlington
- Gather twelve months of gas or oil bills and ask a contractor for a load calculation.
- Decide between ductless, ducted hybrid or a ground source system.
- Choose an Efficiency Excellence Network contractor and ask that the instant discount show on the quote.
- If you may be income-eligible, apply through Efficiency Vermont's site so Green Mountain Power's rebate is included.
- Keep the invoice and model numbers for your records.
Common questions
Does South Burlington qualify for Burlington Electric rebates?
No. South Burlington is Green Mountain Power territory, so the Efficiency Vermont and Green Mountain Power offers on this page apply, not the Burlington Electric tables.
Is a heat pump worth it if I heat with gas?
It can be, especially as a hybrid that keeps the gas furnace for the coldest days, but the saving is smaller than for oil, propane or electric resistance. Compare your last twelve months of bills against a contractor's estimate.
What is the income limit for Green Mountain Power's $2,000 rebate here?
$99,750 for a household of four in Chittenden County, which is 80% of area median income. Check Green Mountain Power's page for other household sizes.
Can I use Vermont Gas for a heat pump?
If Vermont Gas supplies your gas, its Clover Energy arm sells and leases heat pumps, and a credit union loan carries 5.99% APR when the project includes a heat pump. Ask whether your address is inside its coverage area.
Do condo owners get the same rebates?
Efficiency Vermont rebates go to the buyer of the equipment. You will need your association's permission for outdoor equipment, and we have not verified any specific association rule.
What to do next
Read the South Burlington insulation guide and the water heater guide, or the statewide battery and EV charger pages. All Vermont programs are on the Efficiency Vermont rebates page.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 5, 2026: Efficiency Vermont: ductless heat pump rebates, Efficiency Vermont: centrally ducted heat pump rebates, Green Mountain Power: heat pump rebate, Vermont Gas: Clover Energy heat pumps, US Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2020-2024, table B25040 (house heating fuel). All South Burlington rebates → Every Efficiency Vermont rebate →